Method for applying finish to filamentary yarns



May 26, 1959 1'. s. MATTER ETAL METHOD FOR APPLYING FINISH TO F ILAMENTARY YARNS Filed July 8, 1955 B HI ilnited States Patent METHOD FOR APPLYING FINISH TO FILAMENTARY YARNS Theodore S. Matter, Upper Darby, Pa., and Arthur I. Bates and Frederick L. Brandau, Parkersburg, W. Va., assignors to American Viscose Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application July 8, 1955, Serial No. 520,669

2 Claims. (Cl. 117-56) The invention relates to a method for applying a finish to cakes of yarns or filaments, and particularly to an apparatus for carrying out a'method wherein the finishing solution is applied to the cakes of yarns or filaments and extracted therefrom with a minimum of dilution.

In accordance with the conventional practice employed in the manufacture of artificial yarns by the viscose process, cakes of freshly formed or regenerated cellulose yarn are subjected to various treatments, as for example desulphurizing and washing, before being passed through a series of finishing baths. From the finishing treatment, the cakes are centrifuged to remove the excess wash water and finishing solution, after which the cakes are dried, as for example by hot gases, while the extracted effiuent is conducted to at least the first of the series of finishing baths and serves as an intermediate bath for subsequent cakes of yarn undergoing the process. The continuous fiow of effluent to the intermediate bath necessitates a constant sewering of some of the liquid therefrom, and thus results in a substantial loss of finishing solution. In addition, the other baths of the series of finishing baths undergo a constant dilution by the wash water carried therein by the cakes of yarn after their final washing. To maintain a desired concentration of finishing solution, at least the final finishing bath is fed a concentrated finishing solution and thus displaces an equal volume of diluted solution which is normally passed into the intermediate bath and ultimately lost as drainage. This conventional practice of applying finishing solution to the cakes of yarn results in a substantial loss of finishing solution, exceeding 50% of the total finishing solution employed in the process. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a generally improved and more satisfactory method for finish application to cakes of yarn or filaments.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method wherein the finishing solution is applied to the cakes of yarn after a major portion of the washing liquid has been extracted therefrom.

Still another object is to provide a method wherein the finishing solution can be applied to a number of cakes of yarn without any substantial dilution.

A further object is to provide a method for applying finishing solution to cakes of yarn which eliminates at least one of the method steps presently employed.

A still further object is the provision of a method for yarn finishing which is simple and results in a substantial saving of materials.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective illustrating the apparatus employed in carrying out the method of the present inventron;

Fig. 2 is a top view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the various stages of the process and the relative duration of each stage; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the finish solution feed box taken along the line III-4H of Fig. 2.

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The invention, in general, relates to a method of applying za finishing treatment to cakes of yarn. The cakes, after their final washing, are centrifuged to extracta major portion of the wash liquid, and are then treated with a finishing solution which is subsequently extracted and recovered for reapplication to the other cakes of yarn to be treated. By applying the finishing solution, with the apparatus of the present invention, to the cakes of yarn after removal of the major portion of the final wash water, the extracted finishing solution remains substantially undiluted, and in addition eliminates the finishing step employed in the conventional method for which further washing and drainage of the cakes can be substituted.

The apparatus for which the method of'the present invention is designed is generally similar to that disclosed in the US. Patent 1,986,434 toHarrison et al. and in- 'cludes a plurality of centrifugal buckets 5 (corresponding to the buckets 51 in said above noted patent) revolving about a common center and each rotating independently of the others about its own axis. As more fully described in the Harrison et al. patent, the buckets are continuously revolved about the common center so that a different bucket 5 enters a loading and unloading position A approximately every 4 seconds, during which time an operator removes the centrifuged cakes from the buckets and inserts wet cakes therein. With this conventional apparatus shown by Harrison, the buckets, after leaving the loading zone, are each rotated about their own axes for approximately 56 seconds. During this period of rotation, the excess wash water and finishing solution are centrifuged from the cakes of yarn and, as previously stated, this .efiluent is passed to an intermediate finishing bath, after which the bucket motors are turned off and the buckets themselves are braked as they approach the unloading zone.

In accordance with the present method, the buckets, when loaded with cakes after their final wash, but before the finishing solution is applied, are independently rotated for a period substantially less than the 56 second period noted above toremove the major portion of the wash water. This stage of the process is designated as Bin Fig. 2 and is of a duration of approximately 28 seconds, during which time about 1.2 pounds of water per pound of finished yarn is extracted from each cake, whichiweigh approximately 1.413 pounds after drying and conditioning. From stage 8, the buckets pass into C at which time the bucket motors are turned ofi and the buckets gradually slow down in speed. I he stage C is approximately 6 secends in duration and is sufficient tozretardthe buckets'so that they can be suitably braked'during an approximately 15 second period shown as stage D in Fig. 2. As the buckets are revolved through stage D, they remain stationary relative to their own axes and during this time, the finishing solution is applied individually to each of the buckets by structure hereinafter described. As with the stage B, the buckets are individually rotated about their axes to distribute the finishing solution through the cakes of yarn and to remove the excess finishing solution as they pass through the stage E, which takes about 28 seconds. Stages F and G are similar to stages C and D described above, during which time the bucket motors are not energized and the buckets are braked to a standstill as they approach the unloading stage A.

In accordance with the present invention, the top cover 7 of the housing 9 is provided with an additional opening 11, approximately diametrically opposite the usual top cover loading and unloading opening 13. The opening 11 is located above the central or terminal section of the stage D so that the finishing solution can be applied to the cakes after the buckets each have been braked to a stop. Disposed above the opening 11 is a finishing solution feed box 15 partitioned at 16 to provide compart rnents 17 and 18, the latter of which has at its lower end, a suitable discharge opening or slot 19, adjustable as by a sliding plate, through which the finishing fluid is passed as the buckets pass thereunder. The compartment 17 serves as a reservoir from which the finishing solution overflows along the partition 16 to provide a constant flow of finishing solution through the slot 19. In this manner the buckets each receive a definite amount of finishing solution. If desired, a nozzle, which is sequentially operated, may be substituted for the slot 19 to discharge a set amount of finish solution into each of the buckets as they move relative thereto. A conduit 20 connects the feed box 15 with the fluid circulating lines 21 and 23 which serve as the feed and return lines, respectively, for the finishing solution from the supply and makeup tank 25. A circulating pump 27 is provided in the feed line 21 and can be isolated from both the conduit 21 and the tank 25 by cutoff valves 29, while the conduit 20 and the return line 23 are provided with a control valve 31 and a pressure regulating valve 33, respectively, to enable fluid flow adjustments. The tank 25 is preferably equipped with a mixer 35 to maintain the finishing solution suitably agitated.

In use, the operator at stage A inserts the wet cakes of yarn into the buckets 5 as they revolve passed the opening 11. These cakes weigh approximately 4.9 pounds after being removed from the final wash treatment. As the buckets are revolved into the area as stage B, the individual bucket motors are energized and the buckets are each rotated about its own axis to whiz out approximately 1.2 pounds of water for each pound of finished yarn. As heretofore noted, the rotary motion of the buckets is retarded and finally stopped as the buckets are revolved through stages C and D, with the finishing solution being applied to the cakes of yarn by the feed box, and related mechanism, as the buckets revolve through the final portion of stage D. During stage E, the buckets are again each caused to rotate about its own axis in the same manner as during stage B, to pass the finishing solution through the cakes of yarn and to centrifuge out the excess finishing solution which is collected and conducted to the supply and makeup tank 25. The passage of the buckets through the stages F and G once again causes the buckets to be retarded and finally stopped as they approach the stage A, where they are removed and ready for final drying.

From the above description, it is seen that the application of the finishing solution after the excess wash water has been removed enables the finishing solution extracted from the cakes to be recovered and reused without any substantial dilution of the finishing solution occurring. In addition, it will be noted that the series of finishing baths employed in the conventional process of finish application can be completely eliminated when the method and apparatus of the present invention is employed, or can be utilized as additional wash baths or drainage areas. While the method of the present invention has been described with relation to applying a finish to cakes of yarns, it will be understood that other treating solutions or colorant may be employed as desired. Further, the time periods for each stage of the method noted above are merely given for purposes of description and may be varied without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

It is seen from the above description that the objects of the invention are well fulfilled by the method described. The description is intended to be illustrative only and it is to be understood that changes and variation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In the manufacture of filamentary yarns, the method of applying a finishing treatment to a plurality of cakes of yarn after their final washing consisting of revolving said plurality of cakes about a common center, individually rotating each of said cakes about its own axis during a first portion of its revolving path to remove the excess wash liquid therefrom, retarding and stopping the rotational movement of each of said cakes during a. second portion of its revolving path, applying a finishing solution onto each of said cakes during said second portion of its revolving path, and individually rotating each of said cakes during a third portion of its revolving path to distribute the finishing solution through said cakes and to remove the excess finishing solution therefrom, said first and third portions of said revolving path each including an angle of less than 2. In the manufacture of filamentary yarns, the method of treating a plurality of cakes of yarn after the final washing consisting of revolving a plurality of cakes about a common center, rotating each of the cakes of yarn to extract the excess wash liquid from the cakes concomitant- 1y as the cakes are revolved through a first arcuate path, sequentially applying a treating solution to each of said cakes as they pass through their revolving path, and rotating each of the cakes of yarn to distribute and remove the excess treating solution concomitantly as the cakes are revolved through a second arcuate path, said first and second arcuate paths each including an angle of less than 180 and being approximately equal in duration.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,655,290 Phelps et al. Jan. 3, 1926 1,986,434 Harrison Jan. 1, 1935 2,073,857 Stoeckly Mar. 16, 1937 2,419,756 Arnold Apr. 29, 1947 

1. IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FILAMENTARY YARNS, THE METHOD OF APPLYING A FINISHING TREATMENT TO A PLURALITY OF CAKES OF YARN AFTER THEIR FINAL WASHING CONSISTING OF REVOLVING SAID PLURALITY OF CAKES ABOUT A COMMON CENTER, INDIVIDUALLY ROTATING EACH OF SAID CAKES ABOUT ITS OWN AXIS DURING A FIRST PORTION OF ITS REVOLVING PATH TO REMOVE THE EXCESS WASH LIQUID THEREFROM, RETARDING AND STOPPING THE ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF EACH OF SAID CAKES DURING A SECOND PORTION OF ITS REVOLVING PATH, APPLYING A FINISHING SOLUTION ONTO EACH OF SAID CAKES DURING SAID SECOND PORTION OF ITS REVOLVING PATH, AND INDIVIDUALLY ROTATING EACH OF SAID CAKES DURING A THIRD PORTION OF ITS REVOLVING PATH TO DISTRIBUTE THE FINISHING SOLUTION THROUGH SAID CAKES AND TO REMOVE THE EXCESS FINISHING SOLUTION THEREFROM, SAID FIRST AND THIRD PORTIONS OF SAID REVOLVING PATH EACH INCLUDING AN ANGLE OF LESS THAN 180*. 